As a reward for getting a new job I decided to buy some new black office shoes since all my shoes were not suitable for an office enviroment….to be honest they are appaulingly scruffy. My new shopping buddy Sarah and I decided to spend a Saturday shopping and exploring Newcastle.

First stop was TK Max, Sarah had never experienced the bargins especially the design section Gold Label which has clothes from Vivienne Westwood to Calvin Klein at discounted price. Sadly still out of our budget.

Back to focusing on finding shoes. I usually end up going to the high street shop Newlook for cheap but pretty shoes; but my feet are getting a little fed up of wearing shoes with not enough soles (might as well go barefoot sometimes). With all this in mind Office promised a little better quality for shoes that would hopefully give me style and comfort. There was a sale and I found some black buckle brogues which look nice with trousers and skirts, for £38.50. Purchased and shopping task completed!

Budget Total £21.50

We were not expecting to go to the clothes fair but as we walked through Newcastle City Centre, people carrying purple bags labeled Vintage Kilo Sale kept appearing. Northumbria University’s Students Union is the usual host for Judys Affordable Vintage http://www.judysvintagefair.co.uk/ Paying £1 to get in and for our own purple shopping bag to keep the clothes in we entered.

Kilo Fairs are nothing like vintage fairs with pretty boutique tables and racks of organised priced up clothes….oh no, in this Vintage experience you rummage through large buckets. We came late so the floor was covered in piles of clothes which had been removed from the bins, I did not have high hopes finding anything.

Sticking your head in a plastic a little too close to a smelly stained denim jacket, or green camouflaged trousers is not the most appealing way to shop but it is fun as the buckets become time capsules which swallow you up and you discover old pink track suit tops which your mother used to own in the 80’s or a tartan pleated skirt your mother tried to force you to wear as a child. Sarah and I had a giggle wandering around and I stopped looking for something good and started pulling out the items which not even Lady Gaga could look cool in.

In the end once I stopped looking I found loads of great stuff! a Major League baseball top, a patterned white t-shirt, an Oriental print white shirt, a green army shirt, a lovely crochet blue jumper and finally a red 50’s style jumper which I am holding in the picture above. I promise photos to come of the items once I feel photogenic :). Towards the end you really have to look at what you have picked up as you can walk away with stuff you will never ever use. I took my bag and a guy weighed and priced it for me….£15 for 6 items! Will be doing that again.

With £5.50 left over from my budget one last splurge on cake and coffee was needed.